Common Planner
K–12 Standards

Grade 8 (2021)

Other Texas Science sets

Scientific and engineering practices

  • A

    ask questions and define problems based on observations or information from text, phenomena, models, or investigationsS.8.1.A

  • 1.

    The student, for at least 40% of instructional time, asks questions, identifies problems, and plans and safely conducts classroom, laboratory, and field investigations to answer questions, explain phenomena, or design solutions using appropriate tools and modelsS.8.1

  • B

    use scientific practices to plan and conduct descriptive, comparative, and experimental investigations and use engineering practices to design solutions to problemsS.8.1.B

  • C

    use appropriate safety equipment and practices during laboratory, classroom, and field investigations as outlined in Texas Education Agency-approved safety standardsS.8.1.C

  • D

    use appropriate tools such as graduated cylinders, metric rulers, periodic tables, balances, scales, thermometers, temperature probes, laboratory ware, timing devices, pH indicators, hot plates, models, microscopes, slides, life science models, petri dishes, dissecting kits, magnets, spring scales or force sensors, tools that model wave behavior, satellite images, weather maps, hand lenses, and lab notebooks or journalsS.8.1.D

  • E

    collect quantitative data using the International System of Units (SI) and qualitative data as evidenceS.8.1.E

  • F

    construct appropriate tables, graphs, maps, and charts using repeated trials and means to organize dataS.8.1.F

  • G

    develop and use models to represent phenomena, systems, processes, or solutions to engineering problemsS.8.1.G

  • H

    distinguish between scientific hypotheses, theories, and lawsS.8.1.H

  • A

    identify advantages and limitations of models such as their size, scale, properties, and materialsS.8.2.A

  • A

    The student analyzes and interprets data to derive meaning, identify features and patterns, and discover relationships or correlations to develop evidence-based arguments or evaluate designs.S.8.2

  • B

    analyze data by identifying any significant descriptive statistical features, patterns, sources of error, or limitationsS.8.2.B

  • C

    use mathematical calculations to assess quantitative relationships in dataS.8.2.C

  • D

    evaluate experimental and engineering designsS.8.2.D

  • 3.

    The student develops evidence-based explanations and communicates findings, conclusions, and proposed solutions. S.8.3

  • A

    develop explanations and propose solutions supported by data and models and consistent with scientific ideas, principles, and theoriesS.8.3.A

  • B

    communicate explanations and solutions individually and collaboratively in a variety of settings and formatsS.8.3.B

  • C

    engage respectfully in scientific argumentation using applied scientific explanations and empirical evidenceS.8.3.C

  • 4.

    The student knows the contributions of scientists and recognizes the importance of scientific research and innovation on societyS.8.4

  • A

    relate the impact of past and current research on scientific thought and society, including the process of science, cost-benefit analysis, and contributions of diverse scientists as related to the contentS.8.4.A

  • B

    make informed decisions by evaluating evidence from multiple appropriate sources to assess the credibility, accuracy, cost-effectiveness, and methods usedS.8.4.B

  • C

    research and explore resources such as museums, libraries, professional organizations, private companies, online platforms, and mentors employed in a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) field to investigate STEM careersS.8.4.C

Recurring themes and concepts

  • A

    identify and apply patterns to understand and connect scientific phenomena or to design solutionsS.8.5.A

  • 5.

    The student understands that recurring themes and concepts provide a framework for making connections across disciplinesS.8.5

  • B

    identify and investigate cause-and-effect relationships to explain scientific phenomena or analyze problemsS.8.5.B

  • C

    analyze how differences in scale, proportion, or quantity affect a system's structure or performanceS.8.5.C

  • D

    examine and model the parts of a system and their interdependence in the function of the systemS.8.5.D

  • E

    analyze and explain how energy flows and matter cycles through systems and how energy and matter are conserved through a variety of systemsS.8.5.E

  • F

    analyze and explain the complementary relationship between the structure and function of objects, organisms, and systemsS.8.5.F

  • G

    analyze and explain how factors or conditions impact stability and change in objects, organisms, and systemsS.8.5.G

Matter and energy

  • A

    explain by modeling how matter is classified as elements, compounds, homogeneous mixtures, or heterogeneous mixturesS.8.6.A

  • 6.

    The student understands that matter can be classified according to its properties and matter is conserved in chemical changes that occur within closed systemsS.8.6

  • B

    use the periodic table to identify the atoms involved in chemical reactionsS.8.6.B

  • C

    describe the properties of cohesion, adhesion, and surface tension in water and relate to observable phenomena such as the formation of droplets, transport in plants, and insects walking on waterS.8.6.C

  • D

    compare and contrast the properties of acids and bases, including pH relative to waterS.8.6.D

  • E

    investigate how mass is conserved in chemical reactions and relate conservation of mass to the rearrangement of atoms using chemical equations, including photosynthesisS.8.6.E

Force, motion, and energy

  • A

    calculate and analyze how the acceleration of an object is dependent upon the net force acting on the object and the mass of the object using Newton's Second Law of MotionS.8.7.A

  • 7.

    The student understands the relationship between force and motion within systems.S.8.7

  • B

    investigate and describe how Newton's three laws of motion act simultaneously within systems such as in vehicle restraints, sports activities, amusement park rides, Earth's tectonic activities, and rocket launchesS.8.7.B

Force, motion, and energy

  • A

    compare the characteristics of amplitude, frequency, and wavelength in transverse waves, including the electromagnetic spectrumS.8.8.A

  • 8.

    The student knows how energy is transferred through wavesS.8.8

  • B

    explain the use of electromagnetic waves in applications such as radiation therapy, wireless technologies, fiber optics, microwaves, ultraviolet sterilization, astronomical observations, and X-raysS.8.8.B

Earth and space

  • A

    describe the life cycle of stars and compare and classify stars using the Hertzsprung-Russell diagramS.8.9.A

  • 9.

    The student describes the characteristics of the universe and the relative scale of its componentsS.8.9

  • B

    categorize galaxies as spiral, elliptical, and irregular and locate Earth's solar system within the Milky Way galaxyS.8.9.B

  • C

    research and analyze scientific data used as evidence to develop scientific theories that describe the origin of the universeS.8.9.C

Earth and space

  • A

    describe how energy from the Sun, hydrosphere, and atmosphere interact and influence weather and climateS.8.10.A

  • 10.

    The student knows that interactions between Earth, ocean, and weather systems impact climate.S.8.10

  • B

    identify global patterns of atmospheric movement and how they influence local weatherS.8.10.B

  • C

    describe the interactions between ocean currents and air masses that produce tropical cyclones, including typhoons and hurricanesS.8.10.C

Earth and space

  • A

    use scientific evidence to describe how natural events, including volcanic eruptions, meteor impacts, abrupt changes in ocean currents, and the release and absorption of greenhouse gases influence climateS.8.11.A

  • 11.

    The student knows that natural events and human activity can impact global climateS.8.11

  • B

    use scientific evidence to describe how human activities, including the release of greenhouse gases, deforestation, and urbanization, can influence climateS.8.11.B

  • C

    describe the carbon cycleS.8.11.C

Organisms and environments

  • A

    explain how disruptions such as population changes, natural disasters, and human intervention impact the transfer of energy in food webs in ecosystemsS.8.12.A

  • 12.

    The student understands stability and change in populations and ecosystemsS.8.12

  • B

    describe how primary and secondary ecological succession affect populations and species diversity after ecosystems are disrupted by natural events or human activityS.8.12.B

  • C

    describe how biodiversity contributes to the stability and sustainability of an ecosystem and the health of the organisms within the ecosystemS.8.12.C

Organisms and environments

  • A

    identify the function of the cell membrane, cell wall, nucleus, ribosomes, cytoplasm, mitochondria, chloroplasts, and vacuoles in plant or animal cellsS.8.13.A

  • 13.

    The student knows how cell functions support the health of an organism and how adaptation and variation relate to survivalS.8.13

  • B

    describe the function of genes within chromosomes in determining inherited traits of offspringS.8.13.B

  • C

    describe how variations of traits within a population lead to structural, behavioral, and physiological adaptations that influence the likelihood of survival and reproductive success of a species over generationsS.8.13.C

Frequently asked questions

What grade levels do these standards cover?
Grade 8
Where can I read the official document?
TEKS Guide

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